Method and apparatus for monitoring telephone status

Abstract

The monitor is for monitoring the status of a first client telephone, and for sending this status information via a central server to an authorized second client telephone. The central server stores a database of registered client telephones and corresponding client telephones that the client may monitor. A user of a registered client telephone monitors in real time the telephone status of registered friends, family, or co-workers that have agreed to be monitored by the user.

We claim:  
     
       1. A method for monitoring one of a plurality of statuses of a first mobile device over a wireless network by a second mobile device, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the first mobile device through the wireless network from a server, a request for a permission for said status of the first mobile device to be monitored by the second mobile device; 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, a permission for said status of the first mobile device to be monitored by the second mobile device in response to receiving the request; 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, said status of the first mobile device in response to sending the permission; 
 determining, by the first mobile device, a changed status at least partially associated with a presence of the first mobile device being located at a first location; and 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, responsive to determining the changed status, a status change signal indicating said changed status of the first mobile device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, a request to register the first mobile device with the server, wherein the request includes a digital signature of the request to register and an identifier that identifies the first mobile device. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the first mobile device through the wireless network from the server, an indication of a successful registration of the first mobile device with the server responsive to the request to register. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 encrypting, by the first mobile device, said status of the first mobile device with a public key of the server into an encrypted status of the first mobile device, 
 wherein sending said status in response to sending the permission comprises sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, the encrypted status of the first mobile device in response to sending the permission. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the first mobile device through the wireless network from the server, an indication acknowledging a successful receipt of said status of the first mobile device in response to sending said status. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining said changed status comprises:
 determining, by the first mobile device, that the first mobile device is off-hook in response to an off-hook signal of the first mobile device. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the changed status comprises:
 receiving, by the first mobile device, at least one DTMF code being entered into the first mobile device by a user while a telephone call is not being made. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one DTMF signal is intermittent. 
     
     
       9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first mobile device, cause the first mobile device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by the first mobile device through the wireless network from a server, a request for a permission for said status of the first mobile device to be monitored by a second mobile device; 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, a permission for said status of the first mobile device to be monitored by the second mobile device in response to receiving the request; 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, said status of the first mobile device in response to sending the permission; 
 determining, by the first mobile device, a changed status at least partially associated with a presence of the first mobile device being located at a first location; and 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, responsive to determining the changed status, a status change signal indicating the changed status of the first mobile device. 
 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the operations that the instructions cause the first mobile device to perform when executed by the processor further comprise:
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, a request to register the first mobile device with the server, wherein the request includes a digital signature of the request to register and an identifier that identifies the first mobile device. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations that the instructions cause the first mobile device to perform when executed by the processor further comprise:
 receiving, by the first mobile device through the wireless network from the server, an indication of a successful registration of the first mobile device with the server responsive to the request to register. 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the operations that the instructions cause the mobile device to perform when executed by the processor further comprise:
 encrypting, by the first mobile device, said status of the first mobile device with a public key of the server into an encrypted status of the first mobile device, 
 wherein sending said status in response to sending the permission comprises sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, the encrypted status of the first mobile device in response to sending the permission. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the operations that the instructions cause the first mobile device to perform when executed by the processor further comprise:
 receiving, by the first mobile device through the wireless network from the server, an indication acknowledging a successful receipt of said status of the first mobile device in response to sending said status. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein determining the changed status comprises:
 determining, by the first mobile device, that the first mobile device is off-hook in response to an off-hook signal of the first mobile device. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein determining the changed status comprises:
 receiving, by the first mobile device, at least one DTMF code being entered into the first mobile device by a user while a telephone call is not being made. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one DTMF signal is intermittent. 
     
     
       17. A system for monitoring one of a plurality number of statuses of a first mobile device over a wireless network by a second moblie device, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of the first mobile device, cause the first mobile device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by the first mobile device through the telephony network from a server, a request for a permission for said status of the first telephone to be monitored by the second mobile device; 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, a permission for said status of the first mobile device to be monitored by the second mobile device in response to receiving the request; 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, said status of the first mobile device in response to sending the permission; 
 determining, by the first mobile device, a changed status at least partially associated with a presence of the first mobile device being located at a first location; and 
 sending, by the first mobile device through the wireless network to the server, responsive to determining the changed status, a status change signal indicating the changed status of the first mobile device.